Amusement device



PA-TENTED FEB. 23, 1904.

W. C. PARSELLS.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

ArrLIcATIoN FILED PEB. 7. 1903.1

'No MODEL.

Patented February 23, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. PARSELLS, OF ELLENVILLE, NEW YORK.

AMUSEMENT DEyloE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. l753,098, dated February 23, 1904.

Application filed February 7, 1903.

To @ZZ whom t muy concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAu C. PARsELLs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ellenville, New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Parachutes and Casings Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to parachutes and casings therefor; and it consists in a parachute- -casing formed in sections and provided with improved means whereby the casing` may be opened automatically and in a parachute adapted to be Ylocated within said casing, but entirely disconnected therefrom and provided with means independent of the casing for causing the parachute to open when the casing opens and falls away from said parachute.

The objects of my invention are to permit the easy projection of the parachute and casing to a relatively great height, to cause the parachute to remain in suspension in the air when released for a relatively long period, and to improve and simplify means for automatically opening such casings.

While the parachute and casing herein described are primarily intended asan amusement device or toy, they are not restricted to such use.

The herein-described parachute and casing comprises the following parts: First, a hollow two-part shell or ball of the general construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings provided with means for readily vand quickly closing the parts of it together inv operative condition; second, other means for automatically and instantly opening it at a predetermined or desired time by a time-fuse or other equivalent device and a spring; third, a parachute of suitable material, preferably paper, of a suitable diameter and length, with strings of suitable length, the parachute being so weighted that all parts may be conveniently folded and placed within the shell or ball before mentioned. The shell or ball may when filled with the parachute be of such size and weight that a child or youth can by hand throw it' to a reasonable height in the air, as, primarily, it is intended to be thrown by hand, although Serial No. 142,420. (No model.)

it may be elevated to a greater height than by 5o shell or ball is opened by the means providedA and hereinafter described it shall immediately commence to lill with air and as the shell or ball dropsdown float away and dnally reach the earth, the shell or ball in the meantime having dropped to the earth not far from the spot where it was thrown into the air by hand or mechanical device, and thus easily recoverable for use again, if desired.

Various means and ymethods have been devised for elevating parachutes and other devices in the air for amusement; but no one so far as I have been able to find has devised or suggested the means or methods hereinbefore mentioned and which will be more fully described in this specification.

My invention will be hereinafter more particularly described in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part of my application for a patent, in which- Figure 1 represents in perspective a twopart shell or ball such as I contemplate using, showing indistinctly a spring-hinge at the bottom connecting the parts of the ball, the friction clips or catches at the top constructed so as -to interlock and to include a time-fuse or equivalent device for opening the shell or ball at the desired time. Fig. 2 represents a twopart shell or'ball thrown open and showing or catches for interlocking the parts at the top and inclosing the time-fuse for opening the shell.. Fig. 3 represents a top plan view of the shell or ball with friction-clips engaging and inclosing a time-fuse. Fig. 4L represents a two-part shell or ball just thrown open, showing the parachute lying loosely in one part, the hinge connecting the parts together at the bottom, with friction-clips on the outer peripheries to engage when the shell is closed and hold the same together. Fig. 5 represents a top view of the shell or ball, the top being inclined forward to show the clips or catches and the manner of inclosing the timefuse more clearly. Fig. 6 represents the shell .the spring-hinge at the bottom 'and the clips or ball thrown open and the parachute lioating away, while the open shell is falling to the ground. I In the drawings similar letters refer to the same parts throughout the several figures.

A is a hollow shell or ball closed (shown in Figs. l, 3, and 5) and provided with a timefuse or equivalent device, such as a lirecracker, for dlsengaglng the clips or catches when it explodes, thus allowing the springhinge to throw open the shell or ball and permit the parachute therein to fill with air and float away.

A A are subparts of the shell or ball A hinged together, said hinge being provided with a coil-spring B to throw said parts A A' open when the clips or catches b b are released. Instead of a coil-spring B flat steel springs or rubber springs may be used. I prefer, however, to use coil-springs like B.

The clips or catches Z) b are best shown in Figs. 3 and 5 closed and holding a time-fuse or other explosive in place to be lighted when the ball is thrown. rIlhese clips are outwardturned metal hooks, flat or round and securely fastened to the parts A A in such a manner as to frictionally engage when the shell or ball is closed, two of said clips or catches I) b being on one part of Al and one clip on the other part, A', and so arranged that when brought together the single clip ZJ on one part will fall between the two clips b on the opposite part and form a loop for the fuse C, which fuse being placed in said loop locks the parts together.

rlhe use and operation of said amusement device or toy, hereinbefore described and shown in the drawings, will be substantially as follows: The parachute being in the shell or ball, as indicated in Fig. 3, the ball is to be thrown up by hand, either the naked hand or with a sling or by a mechanical device, such as a clay-pigeontrap. When the shell or ball has reached its time limit or distance limit, which was predetermined, the fuse-a fire-cracker or equivalent device-will explode, releasing the clips or catches b, and the spring B in the hinge will then throw open the parts A A', as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 6, thereby releasing the parachute, as shown in Fig. 4:, and said parts A A being heavier than the parachute will fall away from it, permitting the parachute to iill with air and float away, as shown in Fig. 6, and thus the iiight of the parachute will commence and the work of the toy be finished. In order that the parachute may be filled with air quickly, I weight the lower part thereof with some suitable weight, such as a playing-marble one inch in diameter; but I do not conine myself to any particular kind of weights. Dolls or miniature animals or the like may be used for weighting the parachutes.

The shell or ball herein described and illustrated may be made of thin sheet-steel spun up into the shape shown in Figs. l, 3, and 5 in two parts, or it may be made or cast from paper or rubber. These shells may be made of any desired diameter, (the parachute being of corresponding length and breadth,) according to the age of the user. A shell or ball three and one-half inches in diameter will inclose a paper parachute about thirty inches in diameter; but the shells may be made of greater or less diameter than three and one-half inches and the parachutes of correspondingly greater or'less diameters and lengths.

I do not limit my invention to shells or balls divided on a median line, as I contemplate making shells or balls in which the parts shall be unequal in depth and diameter, one part being simply a segment of the other part, and I consider such construction as within my invention.

Having thus described my invention, as well as the use and operation of the same, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

IS-v

l. 'Ihe combination, with a parachute havinga weight for automatically opening it, of a sectional casing for containing said parachute and weight, said casing entirely disconnected from the parachute and provided with means normally holding its sections together to inclose the parachute, and with automatic means for opening said casing.

2. The combination, with a parachute having a weight for automatically opening it, of a sectional casing for containing said parachute and weight, said casing entirely disconnected from the parachute and provided with means normally holding 'its sections together to inclose the parachute, and a fuse for automatically opening said casing.

3. The combination, with a parachute having a weight for automatically opening it, of a sectional casing for containing the parachute provided with a clasp, for holding the sections together, said clasp ladapted to contain a fuse located entirely without the casing, and arranged to be opened by the destruction of such fuse. v v

4. The combination, with a parachute having a Weight for automatically opening it, of a sectional casing for containing the parachute provided. with a clasp, comprising registering loops adapted to receive a fuse and arranged to cause said fuse to act as a pin to hold the sections together.

In testimony whereof I, WILLIAM C. PAB- sELLs, havev signed my name to this specifica` tion, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 2d day of February, 1903.

WILLIAM C. PARSELLS.

Witnesses:

VVILLLAM FRED voN HoENE, ALBERT A. WEBB.

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